The CEO of Blood Assurance is starting a four-year term as Erlanger Health System's newest board member.

Rick Youngblood was appointed to the board by Hamilton County Mayor Jim Coppinger and approved by the Hamilton County Commission last month.

"[Youngblood] has a knowledge of the hospital, and has served on other boards that are medically related," said Coppinger. "We thought he would be a great addition to the board."

Youngblood's appointment means the public hospital's 11-member board is filled for the first time after nearly a year of vacancies. The board was restructured by Hamilton County's delegation of lawmakers earlier this year.

"We have a lot of great hospitals in the area, but this one - the community needs it, and it's just an honor to serve on the board and help in whatever way I can," Youngblood said.

At last week's board meeting, Erlanger CEO Kevin Spiegel said that the complex health industry knowledge Youngblood will bring to the board is "indispensable."